Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for varying programs stored in a program-controlled household appliance. The program-controlled household appliance has a control panel with actuators for entering single functions of an individual operating program cycle. The individual operating program cycle can be invoked under a name and can be properly executed under microprocessor control. The program-controlled household appliance also has a memory for different functions of this program cycle.
Such a method is disclosed, for example, in Published German Patent Application DE 44 22 128 A1. In this document, the factory""s program presets can be adapted to customer requirements as a result of the electronic controller being freely programmable via a data input and output unit with a display. In order to adapt the program presets, further data or parameters need to be entered so that the existing program presets can be varied or supplemented. The process of entering the data or parameters is not explained in detail in Published German Patent Application DE 44 22 128 A1. Since no particulars are given about the type and manner of the data entry, it can be concluded that, in accordance with other conventional household appliances of this type, additional input actuators need to be provided which are not inherently necessary for invoking stored program presets. Furthermore, a display is necessary for the conventional device.
In addition, from Published German Patent Application DE 195 05 485 A1, washing machines are known whose control panels likewise have actuators for setting particular program functions. In these control panels, logic combinations for the operation of these actuators are set up such that competent persons (e.g. customer service engineers) can enter a code of particular control operations, specifically by a combined actuation of individual control actuators simultaneously, to change the household appliance to one of two program modes. This allows, on the one hand a programming by a customer service engineer, and on the other hand a restricted programming of the household appliance by the user. In addition, the predetermined combination of actuation operations can be used to invoke particular functions or particular customer service programs whose response can inform the customer service engineer observing the washing machine about the machine""s correct operating program cycle. This allows to check the operating program cycle without having to observe the execution of the entire operating program cycle, which would take too long for an observation (see Published German Patent Application DE 42 04 399 A1). On the other hand, suitable coding operations allow to invoke so-called demonstration programs, in which a particular operating program cycle of the machine is simulated without functional elements of the washing machine actually being operated. This allows installed program cycles to be demonstrated on the washing machine""s control panel.
In addition, washing machines are known e.g. from Published German Patent Application DE 40 01 279 A1 whose microprocessor-controlled program control device is connected via a data bus to an external interface to which a computer (e.g. a laptop computer) can be connected externally via a bus line in order to make particular changes to the microcomputer""s installed program, e.g. changes to program sequences or to parameter values for the relevant program cycle. A disadvantage of such so-called update functions is the need to carry highly complex items of equipment (e.g. computers and accessories) for making changes to installed programs, especially since update operations are generally only concerned with short, minor changes.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method for varying programs stored in a program-controlled household appliance which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods of this general type and which provides a control operation suitable for carrying out appropriate update functions without having to use complex appliances for this purpose and without having to provide additional control actuators which are not necessary for invoking stored program presets.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for varying programs stored in a program-controlled household appliance, which includes the steps of:
providing a program-controlled household appliance having a control panel with actuators for entering functions of an operating program cycle, the operating program cycle being invokeable under a given name and being executable under microprocessor control, the program-controlled household appliance having a memory component for storing the functions of the operating program cycle; and
using at least one given succession of function entries as a code for directly changing one of operating program sequences and parameter values of program functions, the at least one given succession of function entries need not be adhered to when making an entry to invoke a stored program.
In other words, the object of the invention is achieved in that one or more particular successions or sequences of function entries, which do not have to be adhered to when making an entry to retrieve or invoke a stored program, are used as a code for directly changing particular operating program sequences or particular parameter values of program functions. This allows competent persons to use a particular sequence of control operations, using the actuators which are provided on the control panel and are necessary anyway, to make alterations to installed program sequences or program parameters. In the case of control panels which also contain a display in the form of an alphanumeric display, such entry operations can also be monitored.
In accordance with another mode of the invention, the program-controlled household appliance is a washing machine or a dishwasher and the parameter values for affecting a water level in a tub, a temperature of a washing liquid, a drum speed, or a timing and a duration for particular processing steps during the operating program cycle are changed.
In accordance with yet another mode of the invention, the program-controlled household appliance is a washing machine or a dishwasher and the operating program sequences for affecting a sequence of operations including a water intake, a heating of a washing liquid, a low-speed drum movement, a high-speed drum movement, a circulation of the washing liquid or a pumping-out of the washing liquid are changed.
In accordance with a further mode of the invention, the program-controlled household appliance is a laundry dryer and the parameter values for affecting a temperature of a process air, a timing and a duration for particular processing steps, or a residual moisture in a laundry are changed.
In accordance with a further mode of the invention, the program-controlled household appliance is a laundry dryer and the operating program sequences for affecting a sequence of operations such as a drum movement, a process air feed, a cooling air feed or a condensation removal are changed.
In accordance with another mode of the invention, the sequence of function entries can also be achieved by using a rotary selector switch as control actuator, which can be set to different rotary positions for entering the code. By way of example, the additional actuation of a key, which is present anyway on the control panel, for an arbitrary function or a push function on the rotary selector switch itself can be used to confirm the entry in the relevant rotary position.
With the objects of the invention in view there is also provided, a method for varying a program stored in a program-controlled household appliance, which includes the steps of:
storing, in a memory component of the household appliance, the program for controlling an operating process cycle;
providing, on the household appliance, a control panel with actuators for selecting functions of the operating process cycle; and
changing the program for controlling the operating process cycle with a given code by actuating at least one of the actuators in a given sequence, the given sequence being different from a sequence required for selecting the functions of the operating process cycle.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method for varying programs stored in a program-controlled household appliance, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.